New Tricks: Mistletoe, Good Times and A Celebration
by ComedySuze
Summary: It's almost Christmas, Gerry hasn't got around to buying Christmas presents for the family yet. So Brian and Steve decide to help him out.
1. Chapter 1

**I thought I'd try/attempt to write and complete a New Tricks Christmas fanfic this year. Hope it's okay, feel free to leave a review.**

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**New Tricks: Mistletoe, Good Times and A Celebration.**

**Chapter 1: Gifts for the Family**

With the strong reminder of Christmas being around the corner, only 12 days away. Gerry hadn't made any proper headway with the lengthy shopping listwhich was handed to him by his daughters, at the beginning of the month. He wondered whether the grandchildren will forgive him, if he bought them presents like the ones he got for them last year.

"Morning all...Oh what are you looking for online, Gerry?" Steve asked, from the moment he breezed through the UCOS doorway entrance. Carefully sidestepping his way past the 3ft Christmas tree, positioned in the left hand corner of the office.

"Shopping, don't go telling the Guv'nor alright. I'm hoping to come across some handy online gift suggestions for the kids, might give me some ideas on what presents to buy for Gerry Junior and the rest of the family." He didn't take too long to give an effectual answer. He didn't want Sandra finding out that he was spending his work time, browsing online, on his desk computer.

"Ah Christmas' always the time, where it's expected of you to spend an absolute of presents. You won't have much money for yourself." Steve gave a meditative look as he shrugged off his brown fluffy winter coat before going to hang it up on the coat hanger. He too was reflecting over the fact, that he's had to miss out many Christmas' of not being in his son Stuart's life.

"Yeah I'd pretty much already figured that out, Steve." Gerry responded.

Steve turned back to face his half stressed out colleague. "You better be quick, as the likes of Argos, Marks & Spencers and HMV's retail merchandise items, might most likely sell out today or even by tomorrow at the latest." The Scottish detective knew his friend, wouldn't presumably dare to think twice, with regards to listening to the handy tips on quick shopping purchases. He decided to give a motivational push in the right direction, _get in there the sooner the better before it's too late_.

"Alright I will...You know it's not like the old days is it, anymore? I can never seem to understand those Click and Collect options, they've got these clothes website. Doesn't half muddle you up." Gerry knew there wasn't any point of hanging on until the last-minute. Seeing as he wanted to surprise the family with this year's presents, he knew had to work his mind to the best potential.

Steve and Brian both exchanged, slightly frustrated head-shakes between one another. The two of them decided to take it upon themselves, to help out Gerry with online shopping, seeing as he didn't have good enough clue on how to expertly snap up an online bargain. Brian was obviously quick off the mark, as he began to make a start with browsing on a few websites.

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"We've got a perfect chance to tie up this case, however apparently you're more interested in assisting Gerry in finding an online Christmas bargain. Brian you're the heart and brains of the UCOS team, I don't want to see you getting distracted." Sandra sighed, she felt she had to remind her colleague on how importantly and commendable, he genuinely was to the team. They were all but nearer to tying up a complicated, unsolved violent robbery case from the mid 1980's. Sandra had secured an important meeting with a key witness, who had recently come forward and volunteered to help them out with their inquiries into the re-investigation.

"I know but I was thinking if I helped him out, he wouldn't continue making a fuss. Once his Christmas shopping would be out of the way, then you'd have a fully concentrated Gerry, raring to put his brain to good and proper use." Brian done whatever he possibly could to accurately reason with her, hoping she might give him to permission to use the office computer for particular matters. He knew from previous conversations that she had a good enough and caring heart to let any of the team, to put family and individual stuff, ahead of important work matters.

She looked unsure what else to mention, she looked across the office at him, he was wearing his glasses and mumbling coherently to himself while reading something from the computer. He didn't look properly focused as he usual was, he looked more on edge what she soon thought. Perhaps Brian had a good, reasonable point in what he was suggesting. In the spirit of Christmas, she decided to stop putting work matters to the forefront for once and finally agreed to this trifling matter.

"Fine, spend as long as you can on this."

"What if Strickland comes in unannounced?"

"I'll just make an excuse up, telling him that you've uncovered some breakthrough evidence and that you're logging into a street camera. Also that you need complete concentration, I'm sure he wouldn't bother you anyway." Sandra was pretty quick enough on the ball, to come up with an impressive suggestion.

"Has he ever sussed you out? Whether you were telling him the truth or a lie at anytime?" Brian asked out of curiosity, he adjusted his glasses fleetingly.

"Sometimes, I can't be too sure on how many times Brian, in which he's worked out that I may have lied to him." Sandra shrugged her shoulders.

"You know sometimes I respect him and sometimes I think Gerry's right, that Strickland overplays everything when he doesn't always let us solve anything, the way we want to solve it." Brian said.

"He's only doing what he thinks is right Brian. I do know what you're trying to hint at and I can reassure you by telling you that, I'm more than happy to challenge him as much as possible until he sees things my way." Sandra thoroughly explained to her colleague.

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"Gerry Junior absolutely loves football. Paula's mentioned a few times that he doesn't actually need any new DVDs or kids football boots. You know what I think he'd love..." Gerry said to both his colleagues, a flash of light-bulb, all of a sudden felt as though it had become visible right above his head. He didn't feel it was necessary to fill his colleagues in, on what his fresh idea was.

"What? what will he love?" Steve asked, as he came over to stand around the front of Gerry's desk.

"This you...muppet, I see you're unable to quite follow what children want for Christmas nowadays. Believe me, times have drastically changed from the days of badgering your dad into buying you, a Hornby train set or a collectable toy car." Gerry claimed what he'd competently assumed all the time.

"I'm no muppet...pal, believe me. I can remember getting Glasgow Rangers football socks for Christmas during my teenage years. My school friends and my cousins always got either a Pinball Machine, Batman toys, Typewriters, Lego and a Mousetrap board game." Steve answered back. As far as he was concerned, Gerry was trying to make it look as though he might perhaps be aiming to outclass him by suggesting it was better to nag your parents for the best Christmas presents ever.

Sandra and Brian had quietly been observing their colleagues, both of the Detective Superintendent and the retired(ex Detective Inspector) weren't at all surprised to see them involved in a slender disagreement about presents for Children.

"Well this has certainly put a smile on my face." Sandra said, unexpectedly. "My idea of a perfect present for a son, daughter, grandson or granddaughter would almost definitely be anything to do with the latest, popular boyband...say One Direction."

"What...I wouldn't buy any of their merchandise...not in a million of years." Gerry couldn't agree with her on this. "Paula told me that Gerry Jr, likes those Minions from that...what's it called film...Ah Despicable Me." He clasped his hands together, feeling grateful that he somehow ably managed to remember this particular film, which the family mentioned that they loved a lot.

Luckily he and Steve had soon enough found something to agree upon. "No me neither Gerry. Oh by the way, I don't think it's called Ah Despicable Me, Gerry" Steve said.

"Who the blazers are...One Direction?" Brian asked them, an unpredictable yet understandable comment which surprisingly enough, suddenly caused his three colleagues to burst out laughing, right on cue. Brian proved that he wasn't quite an avid follower of today's music and showbiz headline-makers.

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**End of Chapter**

**All Reviews are welcome**


	2. Chapter 2

**New Tricks: Mistletoe, Good Times and A Celebration**

**Chapter 2**

While Sandra and Strickland were occupied with interviewing an important witness, possible accomplice even who they believe had held back some crucial evidence, when the original investigation had been ongoing. The rest of the team were left alone together, thankfully enough this gave Gerry a perfect opportunity to log back online, to continue his online shopping browsing.

"Promise you'll keep an eye out for me Steve, be my wing man. Let me know when you hear them both coming back to the office." Gerry asked, sometimes he actually did enjoy getting up to no good when Sandra's back was turned. Watching funny family videos on Youtube which Gerry Junior had told him about. He'd wondered why Paula had allowed his grandson to watch cartoons and these other sort of videos online, however he changed his mind on this pretty quickly, when he gathered why his grandson had found them funny and entertaining to watch. Gerry's favourite videos were "Charlie bit my finger" and "the Dancing Pony" which was advertising god knows what.

Steve didn't look too impressed, having heard his colleague's comments. "Hey I'm nobody's wing-man, if anyone in here is a wing-man, you'd easily match the description Mr Standing...and yes I'll keep my eyes well and truly peeled, if I hear footsteps and voices coming from down the corridor." He was however, more than happy to keep to his well-defined words of promise.

"Charming, I only ask for a promise and what do you do, you suggest I'd made a perfect wing-man. Brian help me out here, mate." Gerry didn't know whether to laugh out loud or pull a face, one thing he could be certain about, guaranteed, was that he desperately needed backing of Brian in this debatable difference of opinions.

The former Detective Sergeant was soon-to-be left feeling disappointed when Brian chose to say something sensibly as usual. "I'm not getting myself involved with neither of your arguments, about time you got on with completing your online shopping Gerry. " Brian gave him a straightforward reminder, what his colleagues weren't aware of at that particular time, which was that he was beginning to go slightly off track with the assisting of shopping online idea. As he quietly set his sights on two possible bargains/presents for himself and Esther.

Gerry suddenly got up from his chair and walked over to Brian's desk, he was curiously taking a peek at what Brian had managed to find on his computer screen. "I'm probably better be saying the same thing about you too. You're more taken and interested by the delightful look and appeal of a pair of AFC Wimbledon slippers, a coffee maker and one of those tablets than helping me out."

"I don't see anything wrong with admiring these slippers." Brian quickly defended his unsurprising choice. "Me and Esther have agreed on buying two presents for each other this Christmas. She's bought two for me already. I still to buy one more present, I thought this coffee maker would make a lovely gift for her." Brian carefully gave a plain and simple explanation.

"Why have you gone and left it until now, to buy that last present?" Gerry narrowed his eyes as he asked this question.

"I don't know...nothing suitable on sale within the shops nowadays, I suppose." Brian responded, he clicked on the shopping trolley icon on the website he looking on.

"You're beginning to sound like me. Behaving you know...somewhat in a fussy manner." Gerry chuckled, before choosing to go back to his desk. "I better start looking for a copy of the latest Fifa computer game or The Hobbit merchandise." He told them, having precipitously remembered what had been handwritten down on the list which he still had.

"Hmm and you've all of a sudden, conspicuously experienced a light-bulb moment, only just now?" Steve asked, he didn't look too genuinely surprised by this spontaneous breakthrough regarding the intended presents.

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Steve was making himself a cup of coffee, he looked over his left shoulder, seeing whether perhaps Gerry might have finished doing online gift shopping and whether he was doing normal work for a change. He was looking for to Christmas, since he had broken up with Charlie and had a good reason to take in the sights and landmarks of London. He decided to go ice skating this coming Friday night and was now thinking of asking Sandra, Gerry, Brian and Strickland whether they'd like to join him or not.

"Are you up to anything much on Friday night?" He turned and initially asked Brian as he handed over his cup to him.

"Well I was hoping for a quiet night with Esther, watching the TV you know. Friday night's never actually been a night, I've always gone out on." So he claimed as he responded to Steve's question.

"Yes it has. Two years ago, remember me, you and Sandra, we were monitoring that old abandoned warehouse by the Docklands. It was our last re-investigation before Christmas that year." Gerry certainly proved he had an impressive memory for past re-investigated cases.

"Yes but that was two years ago, since then I haven't stepped foot outside my house on a Friday night. This Friday I'm getting ready to fix up the last of the Christmas lights in the back garden. Sorry Steve, why are you asking, by the way?" Brian knew he was most likely waffling on too much about this and so thoughtfully enough, decided to hopefully find out the real reason, his Scottish colleague was asking such a curious question.

"I just wanted to give the Ice Rink by the National History Museum a try on Friday Night, for some ice skating. I know it closes at 10pm that night. I guess I don't want to go on my own, that's all." Steve gave a reasonable answer as he explained the reason behind why he was about to ask them.

"Well I'm not one for skating around, like Torvill and Dean." Gerry promptly stated, wanting to make it known. "You should Sandra, apparently she's a born natural when it comes to knowing the dos and don'ts, regarding Ice Skating." He quickly wished he hadn't gone and blurted out a secret, which the Detective Superintendent had mentioned to him in confidence, more than 8 years ago.

"I'll ask her, you know you're coming on Friday anyway." Steve was soon putting together a brilliant idea, he wasn't giving away any details on whatever this entitled.

"Hang on!...But I've got plans on Friday nights...No I can't I'm afraid." Gerry was doing everything he can to back out of possibly going to the NHM. His excuses were proving relevantly fruitless for him and making him look too over-elaborate when he kept putting another unconvincing spin about his alleged plans for this coming Friday night.

"Whatever plans they are, cancel them. I'm not taking no for an answer pal." Steve told him, he trekked across the office and went into the corner office, to chat to Sandra.

"Have you ordered the presents for your family Gerry." Brian asked his friend.

"Yeah, that's all done." Gerry happily confirmed, he was greatly relieved to have completed his online Christmas gift shopping mission and made sure he could relax a little more, at least for the time being.

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Friday Night;The UCOS team bar Brian were in attendance at the National History Museum Ice Rink. Everyone was in good spirits even Gerry who hadn't stopped smiling since they'd arrived there. Steve decided to find out the cause of this. He pretty much, wisely had a good idea about the obvious reason anyhow. "So was Paula happy about the fact, you got Gerry Junior that Fifa game?" Steve asked him anyway.

"£25 it cost me, I didn't mind be departed from that amount of cash in my wallet. Just as long as Gerry Junior enjoys playing a game on it and who knows he might even recommend me playing on it too on Christmas Day." Gerry smiled, he had a look of optimism and delight written across his face. He was very much looking forward to seeing the looks on the grandchildrens' faces when they unwrapped their presents on the big da, next week.

"Come on Gerry, are you coming or not?" Sandra called over to him, as she was getting ready to step onto the ice in her skating boots.

"We're going for drinks later, if you want to join us." Steve suggested.

"Why not, it is Christmas afterall, a perfect time for celebrating with your friends." Gerry grinned and went over to join his colleagues. He staggered about at first when it was his turn to step on the ice but soon enough managed to get a steady balance as he picked up some speed in his first lesson of skating on ice.

**End of Chapter**


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